


Soothing

by obsessivemuch



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Aftermath, Backrubs, Bunnies, Conversations, F/M, Fluffython, Post Season 6, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-14
Updated: 2005-04-14
Packaged: 2017-10-28 15:43:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/309446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obsessivemuch/pseuds/obsessivemuch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I doubt the shop destruction was covered by our insurance. I'm pretty sure that there's no Act of Willow clause."  Giles stops by the Magic Box to say goodbye to Anya.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soothing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [appomattoxco](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=appomattoxco).



> Guidelines: Giles/Anya fluff, a shared secret and a backrub

Outside the Magic Box, Giles tried the door, pushing it open and jingling the bells above the door. "Go away! We're clo - oh, it's you," she said as she turned to look at him. "I thought you were another customer who couldn't read the sign."

He smiled at her grumpy tone. "Maybe you should try locking the door."

"I'd have to unlock it every time I carry out ruined merchandise, expending more energy than is necessary," Anya answered. "I doubt the shop destruction was covered by our insurance. I'm pretty sure that there's no Act of Willow clause."

Before she started ranting about the loss of revenue, Giles limped down the stairs and around the broken beams to survey the damage. "I'm impressed, Anya. You've accomplished quite a lot in the last 24 hours."

"No one called me for vengeance and I want to rebuild our livelihood. It will be an amusing hobby between wishes and it will allow me to purchase my capitalistic desires."

"Yes, rebuilding the shop is a good idea," he said. "Xander offered to help fix the structural damage while I'm in England."

"You're going back to England?"

"I'm taking Willow back to the coven." Giles suddenly winced as a sharp twinge affected his back.

She saw the flash of pain on his face and pulled a chair out into the middle of the chaos. "You need to sit down, Giles. Your human body cannot handle such stress."

"Right," he said, sinking into the chair.

Studying his tense posture, Anya laid her hands on his shoulders and started to knead the thick knots from his back. When he protested, she hushed him quickly. "I used to do this for Xander after long days. It really put him in the mood to give me lots of orgasms."

"Anya, remember, your sex life is off-limits," he reprimanded.

Shrugging, she released a disappointed sigh. "We could talk about your sex life," she said brightly.

"No!" he said before he added in a calmer tone, "Let's keep our sex lives to ourselves, all right?"

Anya grumbled, "You're no fun."

As she worked on helping his aches disappear, a comfortable silence fell between them. It was a silence borne of an understanding that hadn't existed before the shop linked them together. "You're quite good at that," Giles said, breaking the quiet.

"Yes, I know," she replied. "It made Xander's penis very hard."

"So how...how is the, er, the vengeance business?" he asked, changing the subject.

Anya finished the backrub, and settling in a nearby chair, she answered, "Very slow. There is a distinct lack of evil men."

"That is a shame." His wry tone made her look in his direction with suspicion. "Why did you do it, Anya? I thought you had adjusted to being human again."

"You were the one to smash my pendant and make me human. That doesn't mean I adjusted." The blonde looked away briefly before she met his sympathetic eyes. "I had to do it, Giles. I didn't like my whole world crashing down on me. Plus, there was the wasting of my hard-earned money on tissues. D'Hoffryn was right there, offering me the chance to feel in control of my self again. And I knew I could hurt Xander the way he had hurt me. Unfortunately, no one wanted to wish vengeance on him." Her last sentence sounded somewhat bitter.

Awkwardly, Giles reached over and patted her hand. "I'm sorry it didn't work out, Anya. Er, the wedding, not the vengeance."

"Thank you for paying for the flowers," she said quietly. "They were very beautiful."

"I was sorry that I couldn't make it to the wedding, but I was chasing . . ."

Anya nodded. "You were chasing that demon that tried to take out Surrey."

"If I had been here, perhaps I could have talked some sense into Xander," he said.

But she shook her head, sadness lacing her voice. "Whatever he saw . . . he didn't love me enough to try to overcome those visions and I don't think I wanted someone who had to be talked into marrying me."

Giles slid his chair closer to hers and offered a one-armed hug to the girl. She laid her head against his shoulder, taking the comfort he provided. A few passed before she spoke again, her voice hardly a whisper. "Sometimes I wish that I had been marrying you instead. You wouldn't have left me to tell my friends and your family that you're a gutless coward who can't commit."

Of topics never to be mentioned, their temporary engagement topped the list, but her words told him that she thought about the hours that they had been engaged just as he did. Ignoring the rush of disconcerting emotions, he settled on asking, "You wish? Aren't you the one person who knows that wishes are dangerous things?"

"They are if you act on them or if there's a vengeance demon around. Since I'm the only one here and I can't grant my own wishes, I think we're safe," she said, a sardonic grin gracing her mouth briefly. "Do you think I'm foolish for thinking about that day? It was a _very_ sexy kiss."

Giles cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Yes, well, it was a good kiss," he admitted without meeting her eyes. She brightened considerably at the compliment and he continued, "And I don't think you're foolish for thinking about it. To be honest, it does occasionally cross my mind as well."

"Really? At night when you're lonely and sad?" She gazed at him with inquisitive eyes.

"Actually, no," he said slowly, hoping he would not come to regret this revelation. "Generally, it occurs to me when I receive your monthly business reports or walk into a magic shop. And once or twice when I've seen rabbits on coven grounds."

Horrified by his last remark, Anya drew back and stared at him, the tender moment lost. "England is overrun with wild bunnies?"

"The coven believes in Gaia," he pointed out gently, suppressing a smile. "They believe in the natural order. That includes bunnies, I'm afraid."

She shivered. "Remind me not to move to England or join a coven."

"Done," he said, hobbling carefully to his feet. "I ought to go. The others are expecting me and Willow will be waking from her nap soon."

Anya was standing in an instant, throwing her arms around Giles in a wild embrace. "I'm glad you didn't die, Giles."

He hugged her back, enjoying the way she held him tightly. "Thank you for staying by my side and helping me to the hospital."

In spite of their shared gratitude, she still didn't release him, hanging on as she said, "Make sure you come back soon. You need to see the new renovations and how I'm spending all of your money."

As she backed away, he brushed blonde hair from her cheek. "I expect you'll still fax me monthly reports. Let me know if you need anything, Anya."

"I will," she answered.

"And stop by my flat for a cup of tea if you have business in England." His invitation was heartfelt, and she smiled for a moment before she frowned.

"You don't have any bunnies near your flat, do you?"

Giles shook his head. "No, London doesn't have much use for rabbits."

"Good," she said emphatically. "Goodbye, Giles."

"Farewell, Anya."

She watched him as he shuffled toward the door and offered him one last smile as he glanced at her. When the door closed behind him, Anya decided that she needed to start looking outside of Sunnydale for scorned women, preferably in the European part of the world.

Outside the door to the Magic Box, Giles thought about how long it would take for Willow to go through the coven's training, and he wondered if there was any way he could visit Sunnydale before she would be finished. He was already looking forward to Anya's next monthly report.


End file.
